In bid to cut plastic use, Countdown rolls out nationwide bring-your-own containers scheme

A nationwide roll-out allowing customers to bring their own containers to the deli, meat and seafood counters at Countdown supermarkets will start this week.

It comes after a six-week trial across Auckland and Christchurch stores following mounting requests from customers for the service.

Countdown's general manager of corporate affairs, safety and sustainability, Kiri Hannifin, said it is a move the company took in order to help Kiwis reduce their plastic waste.

"We know Kiwis are passionate about reducing single-use plastic. Re-using your own container is a small way to help and as Plastic Free July comes to an end, I’m very pleased to let our customers know that BYO containers are now a reality in Countdown stores," she said. 

By law, supermarkets are reqired to ensure food sold isn’t contaminated by packaging, so the supermarket chain had to take reasonable steps to ensure the containers customers brought in would be suitable, Ms Hannifin said.

Over the six-week trial, which she described as “positive”, the only change to the process was the introduction of an eco-friendly dishwashing liquid to clean containers.

Customers can bring clean, waterproof containers into the supermarket, which will then be cleaned with a food-safe detergent and dried by staff as part of safety measures.

Ms Hannifin says the stores will be using Ecostore dishwashing liquid.

She said while the service at these counters may be slowed somewhat, customers were still in favour of the scheme.

"Food safety is our absolute priority and while BYO containers can slow service down a little while the team get up to speed with the new process, on the whole our customers have been very supportive and know that this is a good change to make,” Ms Hannifin said.

The supermarket chain will also be introducing other measures to reduce plastic waste. 

Along with auditing its own brand packaging, it will also be making changes in the produce department to reduce plastic, trialling different bag options in bakery, installing produce misting systems to remove the need for packaging on fruit and veges, and supporting the return of the soft plastics recycling programme in a number of its Auckland stores.